


Currently Untitled Fanfiction

by AskaniSystem



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Sloaners Secret Santa 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-19 11:42:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22043689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AskaniSystem/pseuds/AskaniSystem
Summary: Minato is in the future today!  Not technically time travel, basically time travel with some extra steps.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Currently Untitled Fanfiction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heartbeatstumbles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartbeatstumbles/gifts).



> This was written for the Sloaners discord gift exchange. In fact I made this ao3 account for the sloaners gift exchange, because I haven't really written fic in years! Hopefully that isn't too obvious.

Minato recognizes the hospital without opening his eyes. A mix of medicinal herbs and cleaning chemicals permeates the air, medic-nin going about their business in familiar patterns even if he doesn't recognize the voices. He doesn't feel any pain beyond an odd stiffness in his right arm, no sharp aches or sickness in his gut, probably one of his more comfortable instances of waking up at the hospital.

Aside from having no memory of what brought him here, anyway.

Minato sits up, rubbing sleep away from his face, opening his eyes to meet the gaze of a young woman sitting in the chair by the door with an baby in her lap. She isn't dressed like a medic, and the high ponytail reminds him of Inoichi and his father, Inori. Probably Yamanaka, then, and quite possibly a genjutsu specialist. That would go a long way to explaining why he can't remember ending up at the hospital.

"How are you feeling?" the Yamanaka asks, lips pursed. "I know I didn't give any particular time limit, but you slept for so long I started to worry."

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that," Minato chuckles, debating whether he ought to admit his confusion. Even if the woman isn't someone he recalls meeting before, Minato can sense familiarity in the air. "I feel fine. My arm hurts but I don't think that has anything to do with your technique," he adds, scratching at his scalp with the arm in question. "To be honest, I sort of-- hold on, did someone cut my hair?!" Even with his fingers bandaged, Minato is sure of it, but Miss Yamanaka doesn't look convinced.

"...did someone cut your hair," the Yamanaka echoes flatly, leaning forward without leaving her seat. The baby in her lap squirms. "No, nobody cut your hair. What are you talking about?" 

"I definitely have less hair now!" Minato insists, tugging at the short strands in demonstration. He can't see how much of a change there's been without a mirror in the room, but it feels significant. "Somebody cut my hair, and bandaged up my arm, and-- and you look kind of freaked out now. Are you okay?" Minato frowns, certain that causing Miss Yamanaka anxiety won't help to explain anything.

"I'm not the one we should be worrying about, Naruto," she sighs, thin brows wrinkling together. "You're acting extremely disoriented right now and its probably because of the planar projection technique. What's the last thing you remember before waking up at the hospital?"

"Nothing important," Minato admits, thinking over the last few hours fron his perspective. "I was starting dinner, and I realized I didn't have onions since the stall I usually buy them from was closed earlier this week. I think one of the shopkeeper's cousins is getting married, she mentioned it offhand a few weeks ago. Anyway, I had already chopped the rest of the vegetables, so I was thinking of--"

"You aren't Naruto," the woman says suddenly, sharply, interrupting Minato's train of thought. He blinks twice, making a face at the unusual name.

"Naruto? Naruto like in Jiraiya Sensei's book? I'd like to think I was an inspiration, but I wasn't personally involved with that." He doesn't feel any less confused, but at least Miss Yamanaka has good taste in literature. 

"No, not from Jiraiya's book!" she snaps, and Minato inwardly retracts his assumptions about her taste. "Well, sort of technically yes from Jiraiya's book, but that's the Fourth Hokage's fault and has nothing to do with this!" Miss Yamanaka sighs. "If you aren't Naruto, who are you?"

Minato narrows his eyes. He might be disoriented, but he's pretty sure he would have heard about Lord Third choosing a successor. How long has he been unconscious? "Who exactly is the Fourth Hokage?" he counters, adding "Namikaze Minato."

"Yes?" Miss Yamanaka answers. Asks? It's hard to tell, and she doesn't seem to be elaborating further.

"Yes... what?"

"He's the Fourth Hokage. Who are you?" She looks as confused as Minato feels, which is almost impressive.

"Namikaze Minato?" Minato answers again, a small part of his mind starting to worry he's saying his own name wrong somehow.

"Yes, Namikaze Minato, I don't know why that's so difficult to believe," Miss Yamanaka scowls. "Could you please tell me your name?"

Abruptly getting the implication, Minato opens and closes his mouth a few times. He's caught between 'are you implying I've been elected without noticing' and 'how many times do you need it, exactly' before settling on a bemused shrug.

The kunoichi doesnt seem sure what to think either; the pair watching each other warily for a few minutes before she speaks again, cautious.

"Okay, so, your name is Namikaze Minato. That's what we're getting at, I think?"

"Yes."

"Because you're named after the Fourth Hokage, or because you *are* the Fourth Hokage?"

"Neither, as far as I know. I mean, maybe one day? Jiraiya Sensei was one of Lord Third's students so it isn't out of the question for me to take the hat eventually."

"You don't remember being Hokage at all, then," Miss Yamanaka muses, clearly talking to herself more than him. "What about being resurrected during the Fourth Great War?

Minato squints at her. He finds himself getting frustrated, even if it wouldn't be fair to take his anxiety out on someone clearly trying to help. "I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about that," he reiterates. "Anyway, you can't ressurect someone unless they're dead, and I might not know what's going on right now but I'd definitely notice if I was dead!" He laughs, sounding a bit more hysterlcal than intended.

"Right. Um, I'm starting to think I'm out of my depth here. I'm going to go get Lady Tsunade, if that's all right with you?"

"That's fine," Minato sighs, frowning as he runs a hand through his short-cropped hair. It just isn't the same as having it grown out. Honestly, it's better than fine. Tsunade is someone he knows, and an incredible medic at that. He doesn't have any reason to distrust Miss Yamanaka, but when someone implies he should be dead its natural to want a second opinion.

She leaves; the dark-haired infant in her arms waving clumsily as she goes, and Minato flops back against the mattress. 

He's too anxious to rest now, too many possible explanations running through his mind, so instead he stares at the ceiling and mindlessly picks at the bandages with his opposite hand. There's dirt under his nails, which seem *different* in a way Minato can't quite articulate, but the door opens again before he has time to think much of it. The Yamanaka is back, along with a (thankfully) familiar face.

Tsunade looks serious enough Minato's first instinct is to apologize, even if he can't say for what. Her lips are pursed and arms crossed, the line of her biceps faintly visible under the sleeves of a media's uniform. 

"Minato, what do you remember?" the sannin asks, her tone unexpectedly gentle. He isn't the one in trouble, then, and he hopes the same goes for Miss Yamanaka.

"As I was telling Yamanaka-san, I was making dinner when-" he cuts off as Tsunade waves a hand dismissively.

"More generally, Minato," Tsunade clarifies. "According to Ino you don't remember being elected Hokage. Do you remember being a sensei, or your promotion to jounin? What about chuunin?"

"Of course!" Minato declares, defensive. "My team is a huge part of my life. I wouldn't forget about them, not matter what sort of technique is involved."

"You forgot you're the Fourth Hokage and that's presumably a huge part of your life too," Miss Yamanaka points out. Yamanaka Ino, from the sound of things. He supposes that she has a point there, assuming all this is true.

Tsunade nods, addressing the younger woman. "He know's he's a sensei. That gives us a better idea of the time frame we're working with. I don't entirely understand how your technique works, but I'm sure there's a reason his memories are stopping where they are."

Feeling talked over, Minato raises a hand to get their attention. Tsunade raises an eyebrow at the gesture, making Minato feel more than a little childish. "Just to clarify, you believe my memories are stopping? Like, I have some sort of amnesia and I've forgotten about being elected Hokage and cutting my hair? That... that's quite a relief. Not that it isn't a serious problem, of course, but Miss Ino made it sound like I was dead. Amnesia seems pretty great in comparison!"

"You're dead *and* you have amnesia," Tsunade clarifies bluntly, bursting his bubble. "That first part isn't mysterious; you died twenty years ago."

Well, that's bad news. Minato supposes he had a fulfilling life of some kind, but seeing as he can't remember much of it he feels more than a little cheated. "Well, I'm twenty years old now. Maybe that's the connection; I can only remember my life for the same amount of time I've been dead?"

Ino shakes her head. "I wouldn't expect you to know this, Lord Fourth, but that's definitely not how planar projection works." She pauses. "Admitedly, it isn't supposed to work like this either. Naruto and I are both twenty as well, so it's more likely to be based on our ages than when you died."

"I'm still not sure who Naruto is, or anything about him," Minato points out. "Apparently I died the same year he was born, which... hold on, Princess Tsunade, you're still alive when I've been dead for twenty dead? I mean, how o-"

"Let's not finish that question, Lord Forth," Ino interrupts, one hand firmly over Minato's mouth while the child has somehow migrated into Tsunade's arms. The sannin looks more amused more than irritated, but from Ino's reaction Minato suspects she hasn't mellowed entirely. The fact she's busy holding a baby probably doesn't hurt either. "The important thing is that we have a better idea now of what we're working with."

"Mmhm mm hn hmn hmnmnn," Minato suggests; Ino removes her hand appologetically. 

"Maybe we should speak with Lord Inori," he repeats, "Not that I doubt your abilities, Ino, but if you haven't seen something like this before we should consult with the head of clan."

There's a moment where she nor Tsunade respond at first, the women sharing a glance Minato doesn't quite grasp the meaning of, before the sannin speaks again. 

"Minato, Ino *is* the head of clan."

Right, dead for twenty years without noticing. Minato hopes he hasn't brought up difficult memories. Between those twenty years and however long he lives beyond current memory, a lot of the people he knows must be retired or dead by now. "My apologies, Lady Yamanaka."

Ino nods, either unbothered or hiding it well. "It's fine, Lord Fourth. Inori was my grandfather, but he died before I was born. My father died young as well, but not so young as a lot of shinobi. As for Naruto," she glances at Tsunade, "do you think its safe to tell him?"

"I can't imagine why it wouldn't be," Tsunade says, using her free hand to play with the baby's wisp of dark hair, "He isn't actually from the past. Your technique was meant to connect with the Pure Land, even if it hasn't worked as intended."

"As far as I could tell, it *did* go as intended. Aside from Lord Fourth being here in Naruto's place, anyway. I would have detected anyone else interfering with with the connection. My only guess is that Naruto sent Minato back in his place, but I specifically told him that was out of the question!"

Tsunade raises an eyebrow. "I don't think its safe to say what Naruto would do in any situation, regardless of what you told him. If that's what happened, what do we do about it? I assume the technique can be reversed."

Once again, Minato finds himself raising his hand like an academy student. "When you say, I was sent back in his place, are you talking about a resurrection technique? Lady Yamanaka mentioned my being raised fron the dead before; do you mean someone died to return me from the Pure Land?"

Tsunade pales at the suggestion, but her companion shakes her head emphatically. "Nobody died, Lord Fourth, don't worry. Well, you died, but we already went over that. Naruto's body is alive, yours is dead, and Lady Tsunade is right that I just need to set up the ritual again to exchange your places."

"How long will that take?" Minato asks. "I'm not in a hurry to be dead again, but I don't want someone else's soul lost in the Pure Lands and it sounds like that's what you're implying."

"It will be a few hours before we can even activate the seal, but Naruto won't be in danger between now and then. Not much is known about the Pure Land, but so long as we have Naruto's body his soul will be easy to retrieve."

"In case it wasn't clear," Tsunade cuts in, "his body is the one you're using right now. Again, nobody cut your hair."

"The ink I used needs to be mixed with several plant oils and left to steep," Ino continues. "If I leave now, I can check in with Hinata and give Sarada back to her other mom, and then I can pick up some things from the shop?"

Tsunade pauses, looking up from the fidgety child. "Now that you mention it, maybe Minato and I should check in with her. It isn't every day Hinata has the chance to speak with her father-in-law."

He's her father-in-law? Minato takes a moment to do the math; if he's anyone's father-in-law he must have children, apparently children old enough to get married, and if he has children than they would have to have a second parent, so...

"I get married!" Minato says out loud, louder than he really intends to "Is it Kushina? It has to be! Kushina and I get married, right?"

Ino laughs under her breath at the outburst; Tsunade only nods. "You have a son, Uzumaki Naruto. He's the one we've been talking about."

"So I really took Kushina's name, huh?" Minato says, feeling relaxed for the first time since being told he was dead. Having a child makes it an easier thought, somehow "I had been thinking about changing my name. How old is--oh, he's twenty, I forgot you mentioned that." 

Which means he must have died when the kid was less than a year old; he momentary relaxation evaporates. Kushina must have been... Minato doesn't let himself finish the thought. He must have died young after all.

Uncomfortable with the silence, he speaks again. "If you don't mind telling me, why did Naruto agree to this technique? Was he... was he planning on switching our places?"

"It was his idea," Ino admits. "I mentioned I was working with the Hokage on a technique to commune with the dead, and Naruto... well, I thought he wanted to ask you for advice, but maybe it was something else."

Minato frowns. "Advice? I guess that's the duty of a parent, but I don't remember anything that would be much help. Though, I guess there wouldn't be any way for him to know that in advance."

"I'm sure Hinata can answer some of your questions. And I suspect I know why Naruto asked you to come back to this world for a short while, even if you can't remember it now," Tsunade smiles, looking a bit mischevious. "Either way, we should give Ino some quiet so she can work on reversing the technique. Ino, do you want us to take home Sarada on the way?" 

"No, I'll take her. I'll probably need to get things from the house anyway," Ino adds, prying the baby away from where she's clung to Tsunade's sleeve. "Lord Fourth, do you need anything else before you go with Lady Tsunade?"

Minato shifts to let his legs hang over the side of the bed. "I think I'm alright, for the most part. Can I ask what happened to Naruto's arm?"

Ino glances at Tsunade with a shrug; the sannin smiles despite herself in a way Minato is quite familiar with. "That would require answering quite a few other questions, but perhaps we'll get around to it. Let's go meet your grandson first."


End file.
